Pulborough Brooks and Warnham LNR

Today I managed to move on from the disappointment of the cold, wet and gloomy June we have all endured. A brighter day and a visit to two of my favourite reserves, though the weather oscillated between July and April all day.

Very busy House Sparrows feeding young at several nest boxes at the Pulborough Brooks visitors centre.

House Sparrow

Highlights included Garden Warbler, Black-headed Gull (these have completely disappeared from my patch around Eastbourne while they breed), Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Sand Martin, Nuthatch and Redshank.

A very confiding Rabbit

Goldfinch

Greenfinch

Green Woodpecker

Grey Heron

The rainstorms really got going at Pulborough by early afternoon, so a quick drive north up Stane Street, to a thankfully dry Warnham, was required.

Lots of breeding birds about including Great Crested Grebe, Mallard, Common Tern, Mute Swan and Kingfisher.

Mute Swan

Common Tern

Mallard

Tufted Duck

Great Crested Grebe, with lovely stripped offspring

Kingfisher

Kingfishers! I think the right hand bird is a juvenile.

As I drove home I saw a Red Kite near Crawley. This made 11 new species for the day, taking my total for Term 6 to 85. This passes my previous record of 76 from last year.